Monday, May 21, 2012

Haiyore! Nyaruko-san Episode 7 References

ニャル子さん可愛いいいいいいい！！

"Yahoo!" (4:44)
This scene is a reference to the "Super Mario" game series. The question mark block and brick blocks are staples of the series, and Nyaruko's jumping pose is mimicking that of Mario. Nyaruko also says Mario's signature "Yahoo!" catch phrase.

(5:17)
Nyaruko's expression is referencing the anime adaptation for the visual novel, "Higurashi no Naku Koro ni". The crazed face with small pupils and a wide smile is a commonly occuring expression in the anime. Image for reference:

"Blue Coral Reef" (6:02)
As mentioned last episode, the Japanese title is "Aoi Sangoshou" (青い珊瑚礁), or "Blue Lagoon", which is referencing the novel "The Blue Lagoon", which inspired several movie adaptations and a song by that name sung by Matsuda Seiko. The title is also a pun on "SAN", or sanity points, from the "Call of Cthulhu" role playing game.

"Whoops, there's a teleporter here!" (6:44)
"He almost ended up in a rock." (6:53)
There are two references here:
* The lines are referencing the role-playing video game series "Wizardry" and the Teleport Trap, a recurring trap in the series. A Teleport Trap is hidden in a treasure chest and, when triggered, teleports the party away from its current location to any other square on the same level. Nyaruko's second line references the possibility of the party teleporting to a square occupied by solid rock, which results in the death of the party. Specifically, her first line goes, "Ootto, konna tokoro ni terepootaa gaa!" (おおっと、こんな所にテレポーターがぁ！). "Ootto! terepootaa" (おおっと！テレポーター), or "Whoops! A telepoter", is a possible message that can appear when the player discovers a Teleport Trap. Nyaruko's second line goes, "Mou sukoshi de ishi no naka ni iru tokoro deshita yo" (もう少しで石の中にいるところでしたよ). "Ishi no naka ni iru" (いしのなかにいる), or "You are in a rock", is a possible message that can appear when the party dies in the above mentioned scenario.S1 Images for reference:
Image sources:http://www.geocities.jp/youtakasaka/kod/kod15.htmlhttp://numa5.blog.so-net.ne.jp/2011-10-04
On a related note, the Necronomicon from the Cthulhu Mythos appeared in "Wizardry IV: The Return of Werdna", the fourth game in the "Wizardry" game series.S4
* Nyaruko's stance is that of Tetsuzankou (鉄山靠), a technique that attacks the target with one's shoulder. It is a part of a Chinese style of martial arts called Bajiquan (八極拳), or Hakkyokuken as it is called in Japanese. In particular, Nyaruko's form is mimicking that of Yuuki Akira, a character from the "Virtua Fighter" game series, who popularized the technique and its form with his use of it in the very first "Virtua Figher", which was released in 1993.S1 Image for reference:
On a related note, in Chinese the technique is written as 「貼山靠」, or Tie Shan Kao, and the original form is slightly different. Video for reference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ognp9WGi1bc

"Our True End Route has no detours!" (7:02)
This is referencing a common element in visual novels. Many visual novels have multiple story routes that the player can read through. Also, visual novel will often have multiple endings, ranging from good to bad.

(8:07), (8:20)
There are two references here:
* The text on the sign of the beach house reads "Umi no Ie Ie no Umi (kai)" (海の家 家の海（改）), or "House of the Sea Sea of the House (revised)". This is referencing the beach house by that name that appears in the manga "Yuri Seijin Naoko-san" (百合星人ナオコサン).S1,S2 Image for reference:
Source of image: http://f.hatena.ne.jp/servitors/20120524190128
* The girl that walks past behind Cthuko is Jashin-chan (邪神ちゃん). "Jashin" literally translates to "malign deity" or "evil god" and is the same term used to describe such entities in the Cthulhu Mythos like Nyarlathotep and Cthulhu. Jashin-chan is also from "Yuri Seijin Naoko-san" and works at the above mentioned beach house. In the series, she was originally sealed in a temple at the bottom of the sea before she was released in chapter 17, which is similar to how Cthulhu is imprisoned in sunken city of R'lyeh in the Cthulhu Mythos.S1,S2 Image for reference:
Source of image: http://f.hatena.ne.jp/servitors/20120524185256

"Setting my flag will not work." (9:33)
There are two references here:
* As mentioned last episode, the flag that appears to the left of Cthuko is referencing the Special Flag from "Rarii-X" (ラリーX), localized as "Rally-X", an arcade game made by Namco and first released in 1980. In the game the player drives a blue car through a maze. The goal of each stage is collect all 10 flags scattered throughout the maze while avoiding other cars. Obtaining the Special Flag will double the points received for each flag collected after until the player dies. Image for reference:
Source of image: http://www.mobygames.com/game/playstation/namco-museum-vol-1/screenshots/gameShotId,403849/
* As mentioned in episode 5, the "flag" Cthuko mentions is referencing a common element in visual novels. Often times in such games there will be decision points at which the player has to choose how to proceed. Certain decisions, at times a series decisions, of will cause a "flag" to get set which will later cause an event to occur.

(9:49)
There are two references here:
* The name of Luhy's grilled octopus stand is Puti Kuti (プティ・クティ). This is referencing the mascot character by that name from the book "Moe Moe Kutouruu Shinwa Jiten" (萌え萌えクトゥルー神話事典), a Cthulhu Mythos Encyclopedia.S4 Amazon link (not safe for work cover): click to view
* The creature that appears on the sign is the famed Cthulhu from the Cthulhu Mythos. Cthulhu is described as, "... a monster of vaguely anthropoid outline, but with an octopus-like head whose face was a mass of feelers, a scaly, rubbery-looking body, prodigious claws on hind and fore feet, and long, narrow wings behind."S5 In particular, however, the depiction is based on the appearance of Puti Kuti from the aforementioned book.S4 Image for reference:
Source of image: http://f.hatena.ne.jp/servitors/20120524190732

～ (10:30)
Aisora sighting #3.

"Cthulhu and Hastur have never gotten along." (10:45)
As mentioned in episode 6 at 7:31, this is referencing how Cthulhu and Hastur are antagonistic towards each other in the Cthulhu Mythos. Evidence of opposition between the two is mentioned in various texts, such as "The Return of Hastur", a short story written by August Derleth and first published in 1939, and "The Trail of Cthulhu", a book containing a series of interconnected short stories written by August Derleth and first published in 1962.

(11:22)
There are two references here:
* As mentioned above, the creature depicted is Cthulhu from the Cthulhu Mythos and its appearance is based on that of Kuti Puti from "Moe Moe Kutouruu Shinwa Jiten".
* The Japanese text reads "Ia, Ia" (いあ、いあ). As mentioned in episode 1 at 3:20, the phrase "Ia! Ia!" is a common chant from the Cthulhu Mythos which means "Yes! Yes!". A well known example is "Ia! Ia! Cthulhu fhtagn!", a chant worshiping Cthulhu which means "Yes! Yes! Cthulhu dreams!".

"Judgement time!" (11:52)
There are two references here:
* The Japanese dialogue is "Jajjimento Taimu!" (ジャッジメントタイム！). This is a reference to the Japanese TV show "Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger". "Judgement Time" is a phrase used when the Dekarangers use their SP Licenses to contact the ultimate court in the universe which then passes judgement upon an enemy Alienizer.S1
* "Judgement time!" is also a phrase used in song "Middonaito Dekarenjaa" (ミッドナイト デカレンジャー), or "Midnight Dekaranger", the ending theme song to "Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger". The stars flying into the foreground mimics the same effect in the ending sequence to "Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger".S3 Image for reference:
Video for reference: http://youtu.be/PS0TUyUy5No?t=1m14s

"Mahiro, you're as brilliant as the sun. You're bold and invincible!" (12:27)
The Japanese dialogue is "Mahiro-san ttara nichirin no kagayaki, motoi daitaan desu ne!" (真尋さんったら日輪の輝き、もといダイターンですね！). Nyaruko's use of the word "daitaan" (ダイターン) is a pun on 「大胆」, pronounced "daitan", which means "daring" or "bold", and 「ダイターン」, pronounced "daitaan", the name of a solar-powered super robot from the anime "Muteki Kikoujin Daitaan 3" (無敵鋼人ダイターン3), or "Invincible Steel Man Daitarn 3". The phrase "nichirin no kagayaki" (日輪の輝き), or "radiance of the sun", is referencing a catch phrase from the show said by Haran Banjou, Daitarn's pilot.S1 Bajou's line goes as follows:

「世のため人のため、メガノイドの野望を打ち砕くダイターン3！この日輪の輝きを恐れぬのならば、かかってこい！！」
"Yo no tame hito no tame, meganoido no yabou wo uchikudaku daitaan surii! Kono nichirin no kagayaki wo osorenu no naraba, kakatte koi!!"
"For the sake of the world and the people, Daitarn 3 exists to crush the ambitions of the Meganoids! If you don't fear the radiance of the sun, then bring it on!!"

"I will break the watermelon apart with my kicks and martial arts." (12:37)
There are two references here:
* "Kick" and "Martial Arts" are recurring skills in various "Call of Cthulhu" role playing games.S2Skills list from the "Call of Cthulhu" 5th edition rulebook for reference.
* The Japanese dialogue is "Kikku to maasharu aatsu de suika wo keriwarimasu ne" (キックとマーシャルアーツでスイカを蹴り割りますね). This is referencing a line said by Higuchi Sayaka (樋口さやか) in "Ruruie Antiiku" (るるいえあんてぃーく), "R'lyeh Antique", an RPG replay book based on the "Call of Cthulhu" RPG that was written by Uchiyama Yasujirou (内山靖二郎) and published in 2009.S4 Sayaka's line goes:

Image for reference:
Source of image: http://f.hatena.ne.jp/servitors/20120523213707
The context for the above scene is that Sayaka and company are playing a popular Japanese beach game in which one participant is blindfolded and usually armed with a bat or a stick. He or she is then directed towards a watermelon by the other participants and attempts to break the watermelon apart. As a side note, "Listen" is another skill from the "Call of Cthulhu" RPG, which is why it is in quotes.

"Because we're like two wings of a bird." (12:57)
"We're like two trees that have grown into each other." (13:07)
There are four references here:
* The Japanese dialogue for the first line is "Watashi to Mahiro-san ha hiyoku no tori desu shi" (私と真尋さんは比翼の鳥ですし). "Hiyoku no tori" (比翼の鳥) is a Japanese expression that refers to a pair of male and female birds that always flying together and is used to describe a happily married couple. There are various interpretations of the expression, all holding the meaning of togetherness, such as each bird having one eye and one wing such that together they make a whole or the pair being a single bird having two heads.
* The Japanese dialogue for the second line is "Watashi to Mahiro-san ha renri no eda desu shi" (私と真尋さんは連理の枝ですし). "Renri no eda" is a Japanese expression that refers to trees with entwined branches and is used to describe an intimate relationship between lovers.
* The above two expressions can be put together to form the term "hiyokurenri" (比翼連理), which is used to mean "marital vows".S2
* These lines are referencing a line said by Al Azif in "Zanma Taisei Demonbein" (斬魔大聖デモンベイン), localized as "Deus Machina Demonbane", a Cthulhu Mythos inspired visual novel released by Nitroplus in 2003.S2Al Azif is the original version of the Nercronomicon, in the setting copies exist, and takes the appearance of a young girl. She was written by Abdul Alhazred, the character from the Cthulhu Mythos who wrote the Necronomicon. Her name, "Al Azif", is the original name of the Necronomicon in the Cthulhu Mythos. Her original line goes as follows:

「我等は戦友。我等は盟友。我等は比翼の鳥。我等は連理の枝。」
"Warera ha senyuu. Warera ha meiyuu. Warera ha hiyoku no tori. Warera ha renri no eda."
"We are comrades. We are sworn friends. We are two halves of a whole. We are inseparable."

(14:04)
Nyaruko's appearance is referencing "Ashita no Joe", a boxing manga written by Kajiwara Ikki and originally published from 1968 to 1973. Specifically her appearance is referencing that of Yabuki Joe, the main character, in the final scene of the series.S1 Image for reference:

"Sorry, there won't be any wardrobe malfunctions!" (14:08)
The Japanese dialogue is "Porori ha nai yo!" (ポロリはないよ！), which more literally means "There will not be any swimsuits falling off!". This is a reference to the Japanese variety show "Doki! Marugoto Mizugi! Onna Darake no Suitei Taikai" (ドキッ!丸ごと水着!女だらけの水泳大会). On the show the participants will wear swimsuits and play various games at a pool. The catch phrase "Porori mo aru yo!" (ポロリもあるよ！), or "There will also be swimsuits falling off!", was once used on the show. It has since become a popular phrase.S1

"The rats in the walls... The window... the window..." (14:25)"The Rats in the Walls" is a short story written by H. P. Lovecraft and first published in 1924. "The window! The window!" (窓に！窓に！ Mado ni! Mado ni!) are the last words written in "Dagon", a short story written by H. P. Lovecraft and first published in 1919.S1

"Nyarlko's sanity points have almost reached zero!" (14:31)
As mentioned in episode 1 at 4:49, sanity points, abbreviated as SAN, are a parameter that characters have in the "Call of Cthulhu" role playing game. If a character's sanity points drop to zero, the character is permanently insane and typically can no longer be played. The sanity table from the "Call of Cthulhu" character sheet also appears here. On a related note, Nyaruko's sanity points are at 3 in the scene, which is a pun on SAN since the number 3 in Japanese is pronounced "san". Here is a character sheet from the rulebook for the 5th edition of the "Call of Cthulhu" RPG for reference:

Background music (14:47)
The song that plays at this time is referencing "Taboo" (タブー Tabuu), a song played in a collection of skits performed by Japanese comedian Katou Cha (加藤茶) of "The Drifters" (ザ・ドリフターズ Za Dorifutaazu), a Japanese comedy group. The song also plays in episode 3 at 16:48. For a more detailed explanation, please check the explanation on the episode 3 post.

"... with a technique only I can use." (14:47)
The Japanese dialogue is "Watashi dake ga tsukaeru tekunikku de, tokashi tsukushite" (私だけが使えるテクニックで、溶かしつくして). This phrase is a parody of a line from the lyrics to the song "Eejento Yoru wo Yuku" (エージェント夜を往く), or "The Agent Departs at Night", from the game "THE IDOLM@STER". The original line goes, "Anata dake ga tsukaeru tekunikku de tokashi tsukushite" (あなただけが使えるテクニックで溶かしつくして), or "With the technique only you can use, melt me!". In particular, the phrase "tokashi tsukushite" (溶かしつくして) has become very popular.S1

"Mahiro said I'm not his sweetheart. He said 'you're not minesweeper'." (15:43)
"I think you misheard something there." (15:47)
Nyaruko's line is related to when, at 13:39, Mahiro says, "You're not my sweetheart". The Japanese dialogue is "Kirai da zo" (嫌いだぞ), which more literally means "I dislike you". Here Nyaruko says, "Mahiro-san ga kirai tte, eigo de ui to main" (真尋さんが嫌いって、英語で言うマイン), which more literally means "Mahiro said 'dislike', 'mine' in English". This is a pun since the same pronunciation "kirai" is used for both 「嫌い」 to mean "dislike" as well as 「機雷」 to mean "mine", the explosive weapon. Mahiro follows up to say "Sore ha kirai da" (それは機雷だ), or "That's a mine".S2 The image that appears next to Mahiro is of "Minesweeper", a game in which the player tries to uncover all the mines hidden on the game board without setting any off. Image for reference:
On a side note, the "Minesweeper" board that appears in the scene is depicting the scenario of the player losing on the very first move of the game, which is impossible in a standard game of "Minesweeper". Here is a website describing the first click behavior of Windows "Minesweeper": http://www.techuser.net/mineclick.html

～ (17:30)
Aisora sighting #4.

(17:55)
The tower that appears here is based on the Black Stone, which first appeared in "The Black Stone", a short story written by Robert E. Howard and first published in 1931.

"It was octagonal in shape, some sixteen feet in height and about a foot and a half thick. It had once evidently been highly polished, but now the surface was thickly dinted as if savage efforts had been made to demolish it; but the hammers had done little more than to flake off small bits of stone and mutilate the characters which once had evidently marched in a spiraling line round and round the shaft to the top."S7

(18:56)
Nyaruko is cosplaying as Amagi Yukiko from the game "Persona 4". Nyaruko is wearing the hairband, glasses, and diamond patterned sweater that Yukiko wears. Nyaruko is also has a fan, which references Yukiko's weapon type in the game.S1 Image for reference:

～ (19:18)
Aisora sighting #5.

(23:46)
Each of the descriptions written is parodying a song.S1,S6 For details, please check the episode 8 post at 5:45.

These lines are referencing a recent commercial that first aired in March of 2012 for SoftBank, a Japanese telecommunications and Internet corporation. Video for reference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfNADzLsP8E On a related note, the "Haiyore! Nyaruko-san" light novel is published by SoftBank Creative, a subsidiary of SoftBank.S1 The commercial dialogue goes as follows (thanks to convexity for transcription help):

ねぇ、ちょっと無理やるんじゃない？ Hey am I overdoing it a bit?

お似合いです！ It looks great on you!

あ、そうかしら？ Ah, really?

短すぎるぞお前！ Hey that's too short!

でもなんでこの格好？ But why these clothes?

取り戻してほしいから Because I want to reclaim them.

何を？ What?

学生の頃の気持ちを
Gakusei no koro no kimochi wo
The feelings from when I was a student.

At 14:25 Nyarko says "The rats in the walls" which is the title of a story by H.P. Lovecraft and then she says "The window...the window..." which are the last words in "Dagon" another one of Lovecraft's stories.Hasuta then says that "Nyarko-chan's sanity points have almost reached zero!" which is a reference to the game Call of Cthulhu I think.

11:21 "Ia, Ia!" is a part of a prayer: "Ia Dagon, Ia Hydra, Ia Ia Cthulhu fhtagn!" Related to "The Shadow Over Innsmouth".18:57 She might be cosplaying Yukiko from Persona 4. Hairband, fan, glasses and sweater with diamond pattern are pretty evident. But different color scheme, as usual.

> Hasuta then says that "Nyarko-chan's sanity points have almost reached zero!" which is a reference to the game Call of Cthulhu I think.Indeed. At http://www.chaosium.com/forms/coc_quick_start_bw.pdf on page 19/22 you can find character sheet with sanity table appeared in anime at that moment.

As it turns out, the teleporter is a reference to the Wizardry game series. In regards to Kuroko, she is a teleporter but her ability is simply teleport.

In regards to "Judgement time", it's been explained to me that it's a reference to the same phrase used in Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger. If it were a reference to Index, I think it would more likely be Kuroko's "Jajjimento desu no" phrase.

In regards to Nyaruko's crazed expression, it looks more like that which often comes up in Higurashi when the characters fall into insanity. Their facial expressions drastically change like with their pupils becoming much smaller. Accelerator, on the other hand, always has small pupils.

(12:28) "Mahiro-san, you're as brilliant as the sun. As bold as Daitarn."This is referencing the anime "The Invincible Steel Man Daitarn 3" Daitarn is the robot used to fight and its final weapons are "Sun attack" and "Sun attack Scattershot."http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daitarn

That may be so. It looks similar, but it's not totally the same. If someone had said "Yukkuri shite itte ne" in the scene, I would be convinced it's Yukkuri. But since that phrase didn't up, I think it's hard to be sure about this.

That's an interesting observation, however the visual style of the Nyaruko scene is too different for me to consider this a reference. Also, that kind of the facial expression change doesn't feel like something uncommon or unique to Minami-ke. Like here is a similar scene from K-On: http://i.imgur.com/5om0l.gif

I've thought about it for a while before and I decided that Kurogane no Striver is probably not based on any one Kamen Rider in particular, but just incorporates various elements from Kamen Rider suits.